Flushable tooth brush



Dec. 23, 1958 J. vERsTI-:EG

FLUSHABLE Toom BRUSH Filed April 9, 1956 A/ 7 ls '4 '5 INVENToR. JOH N VERSTEEG Affornfy ilnited States Patent O FLUSHABLE TOOTH BRUSH .lohn Versteeg, Seaview, Wash. Application April 9, 1956, Serial No. 577,657

1 Claim. (Cl. 15 128) h This invention relates to tooth brushes, but more particularly to a ilushable tooth brush so constructed that a stream of water flows through the bristles at the will of the operator and which is controlled by clamps or other means located lat predetermined positions on the handle.

One object of this invention is to provide an article of this kind that is so designed that a substantially U-shaped handle having a hose set in the channel thereof and passing longitudinally within said channel and under the bristles, causes a stream of water to flow through perforations in said hose for the purpose of rinsing the mouth of the user; and further to provide clamps that are movable along the handle to control the flow of water when the mouth and gums of the operator are suliciently iiushed; and again To provide a tooth brush with a horn shaped nipple at the end of the handle remote from the bristles that serves as a means of draining the water from the hose when the operator completes the oral ablutions; and

To provide an article of this kind that is so designed that the head and bristles contained therein are of the proper dimensions to lit between the cheeks and molars;

.a -desideratum of importance in the structure of a tooth brush, and still To provide a tooth brush that is simple in construction, inexpensive in manufacture, and eiiicient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following specification and appended claim, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing form part of this application; of which Fig. l is a perspective View of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction lof arrows;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the handle and hose showing the structure and appli-cation of the clamps.

Now with more vdetailed reference to the drawing, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts, the numeral 2 indicates the brush handle having an integral head 3 with bristles 4 attached thereto in the conventional manner, while the end remote from the bristles terminates in a nipple 5.

A hose 6 composed of rubber, or any flexible and tenacious material, is placed in the channel formed in handle 2, passing under head 3, thence longitudinally of the handle where it finally is engaged by nipple 5.

A branch hose 6A connected to and outwardly extending `from hose 6 is designed to connect with water under pressure and conduct said water to main hose 6 at the will of the user, where it is controlled by clamps located at predetermined positions on handle 2 in order to control the ow of water in the direction of the bristles or toward nipple 5.

Since two clamps are used in the disclosed structure, one clamp is identified as clamp A and the other as clamp B, but since they are identical in construction, only clamp Patented Dec. 23, 1958 A will be described in detail; which consists of a U-shaped body 7 having lugs 8, 9, 10, 11 integral therewith, while a plate P having an upturned cylinder 12 formed at one end and pivoted to lugs 8 9 by means of pins 13 which pass through said cylinder and into apertures dened adjacent the free ends of said lugs. Plates P while pivoted to lugs 8 9 by means of cylinders 12 and pins 13, extend toward and underlie tongues 16 of levers 14 for the purpose of closing the flow of water through hose 6 when levers 14 are pressed downwardly, causing said tongues to contact the free ends of plates P which pass laterally across hose 6.

Lugs 10 l1 support lever 14 by means of trunnions 15 which are pivotally operable in said lugs, while tongue 16 integral with lever 14 overlies plate P and is pressed into contact with the plate to stop the llow of water through hose 6, and returned to raised position (Fig. 5 to direct the water to bristles 4.

In order to operate the described embodiment of this invention, the dentifrice is applied to the bristles in the conventional manner and the teeth cleansed by rubbing and brushing, while the circulation of blood through the gums is stimulated. Hose 6A is then connected to the source of water supply and clamp B is in closed position, while lever 14 is raised in order to allow the free flow of water through hose 6 and perforations 17 formed in said hose under head 3.

When the mouth is suiciently ilushed, the source of w-ater pressure is closed and levers 14 of both clamps A and B raised for the purpose of draining all surplus water from hose 6 through perforations 17 and nipple 5.

While the structure has been described in detail and with specific illustrations, it is to be understood that other modifications in -construction and arrangements of parts may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present embodiment is illustrative but not restrictive, since the scope and purview of the invention is indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description.

Having thus fully described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention in a manner that may enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to construct and use the same, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A ilushable tooth brush comprising a channeled handle, a head integral with one end of said handle, bristles affixed to and extending from one side of tlie head, a hose defining perforations therein located in close juxtaposi-` tion to the bristles longitudinally inserted in the handle and registering with the bristle side of said head, a hollow nipple for the purpose of draining the free end of said hose connected to said hose and handle end remote from the head, a first clamp means to close oi the hose portion adjacent to said nipple while the structure is in use and to open said hose portion when draining is 1desired; a branch hose adapted to convey Water connected to aforesaidhose between said hose portion and head, and a second clamp means to control the flow of water to said bristles movably located and surrounding the handle and first mentioned hose intermediate the branch hose and head.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 192,584 Lapham July 3, 1877 1,219,196 Timko Mar. 13, 1917 1,830,754 Finton Nov. 10, 1931 2,501,426 Voorhees Mar. 2l, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 852,547 France Oct. 30, 1939 

